Americans United - Ben Shapirohttps://www.au.org/tags/ben-shapiro
enCorrecting A Confused Columnist: Why Gov. Perry’s Exclusionary Prayer Event Is Wrong For Texas – And Americahttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/correcting-a-confused-columnist-why-gov-perry%E2%80%99s-exclusionary-prayer-event
<a href="/about/people/bathija">Sandhya Bathija</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been in the national news a lot lately – as I’m sure many of you have noticed.</p>
<p>Besides talk of his possible presidential run, the media has been very interested in the governor’s initiation and <a href="http://blog.au.org/2011/06/07/houston-we-have-a-problem-texas-governor-sponsors-stadium-prayer-rally/">endorsement </a>of “The Response,” a fundamentalist Christian prayer rally to be held in Houston Aug. 6.</p>
<p>Americans United has been <a href="http://blog.au.org/2011/07/01/the-fourth-of-july-and-freedom-why-texas-gov-perry-doesn%E2%80%99t-understand-america/">interested</a> in the event, as well. AU believes Perry’s sponsorship of a “Christians-only” event fails to honor our country’s religious diversity. His actions are divisive, unwelcoming and constitutionally inappropriate.</p>
<p>It’s even more outrageous when you consider that the outfit organizing the event, the American Family Association, has been classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.</p>
<p>Despite all these problems, there are still some out there who think Perry’s rally is a great idea.</p>
<p>Town Hall contributing writer Ben Shapiro is one of them. In a <a href="http://townhall.com/columnists/benshapiro/2011/07/20/rick_perrys_christianity_is_good_for_america">piece published online today</a>, he makes a very unconvincing case for why all Americans of faith should support Perry and “The Response.”</p>
<p>This is how Shapiro starts things off:</p>
<p>“For those who couldn't tell from my name, I’m a Jew. Not only am I Jew, I’m an Orthodox Jew. I pray three times a day to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I keep kosher. I wear phylacteries in the morning, and I say the Shema at night.</p>
<p>And I love Texas Gov. Rick Perry's ‘The Response.’”</p>
<p>Shapiro then proceeds to tell us that because he believes in God, he has no problem with Rick Perry believing in God, too.</p>
<p>He writes, “The left has entered the same bizarre and fetishistic anti-religious frenzy they always do when someone on the right mentions God.”</p>
<p>Shapiro quotes the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United’s executive director, to prove this point (though I’m unclear how a minister is a good example of the “anti-religious”).</p>
<p>Lynn is not the only religious leader opposed to Perry’s event, either. Dozens of others have <a href="http://houstonclergycouncil.org/">signed a statement</a> opposing Perry’s actions, and I’m certain none of them have a problem with God.</p>
<p>It just goes to show Shapiro is missing the point. This isn’t about whether someone believes in God or not. This is about the separation of church and state.</p>
<p>Perry, in his official role as governor, has no business promoting one religious belief over another, or religion over non-religion. It’s not his job to orchestrate prayer rallies or to ask other government officials to join with him.</p>
<p>Besides, Shapiro should really do his homework before advocating for a group like the AFA – an organization that the majority of Christians wouldn’t even feel comfortable associating with.</p>
<p>This is the same group that <a href="http://blog.au.org/2008/07/31/fast-food-freakout-the-afa-is-not-lovin-it-at-mcdonalds/">called for a boycott </a>of McDonald’s because the fast food chain said it welcomes gay families. It’s the same group that <a href="http://blog.au.org/2010/10/20/christmas-cranks-afa-begins-annual-whine-fest-over-seasonal-greeting/">whines every year</a> when retailers use “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” It’s the same group that <a href="http://www.au.org/media/church-and-state/archives/2001/05/donald-wildmon.html">chastised TV sitcoms</a> for any and all sexual content (and, at one point in time, kept a record of every mention of sex in these shows).</p>
<p>The AFA’s founder and former president Donald E. Wildmon has also been accused of <a href="http://www.au.org/media/church-and-state/archives/2001/05/donald-wildmon.html">anti-Semitic rhetoric</a>, receiving (and ignoring) letters from the Anti-Defamation League in the past. The AFA’s journal has also reprinted articles from <em>The Spotlight</em>, a far-right, virulently anti-Semitic newspaper published by Willis Carto, a Holocaust "revisionist."</p>
<p>And, now, the group has told people who are not Christian (that includes you, Mr. Shapiro) that they <a href="//motherjones.com/mojo/2011/06/rick-perrys-prayerfest-only-christians-allowed">aren’t welcome to speak</a> at the Aug. 6 event because that would “invite false gods” and promote “idolatry.”</p>
<p>Yet Shapiro thinks the AFA’s event is a “net positive for the country,” will do “overwhelmingly good” and Perry is wise to support it.</p>
<p>Think again.</p>
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</div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/american-family-association">American Family Association</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/ben-shapiro">Ben Shapiro</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/don-wildmon">Don Wildmon</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/government-endorsed-religion">government-endorsed religion</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/rick-perry">Rick Perry</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/texas">Texas</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/response">The Response</a></span></div></div>Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:54:07 +0000Sandhya Bathija2547 at https://www.au.orghttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/correcting-a-confused-columnist-why-gov-perry%E2%80%99s-exclusionary-prayer-event#comments